Ted Allen's Kitchen

Ted Allen's longtime partner, Barry Rice, dreamed up all the fun features of the space: a huge island, hands-free faucets, a ridiculously powerful ventilation hood, pullout pantry shelves, a special area for baking, even a restaurant-style cleanup zone with double dishwashers.

Exposed Tools and Pans

Ted can find anything he needs in this prep zone: It's stocked with more than a dozen knives, plus bins of tools and an industrial food processor and juicer. "I like that the tools are out, so I can grab anything I need," he says. "And guests can jump in and help: They know where the pots are; they know where the knives are."

Fantasy Island

The big island keeps the guests on one side of the kitchen and the cooks on the other. Barry chose pietra cardosa (like a cross between granite and slate) for the top: "It looks like soapstone but it's not as soft." Ted's laptop is a fixture here. "I never cook without music," he says.